Terry Goddard Reports Almost 1 in 4 Tobacco Retailers Sold to Minors

(Phoenix, Ariz. – June 6, 2007) Attorney General Terry Goddard today announced that a month-long series of inspections found that nearly one in four Arizona retailers illegally sold tobacco products to people under 18 years old.

Statistics from the “Counter Strike” campaign conducted throughout Arizona show that 23 percent of retailers in five counties violated the law by selling tobacco products to minors.

In cooperation with the Arizona Department of Health Services and local law enforcement agencies, the Attorney General’s Office conducted 461 inspections during the past five weeks. In those inspections, 354 retailers passed and 107 failed. Tucson and Prescott Valley retailers had the highest compliance rates, and Tempe retailers had the lowest compliance rates. Retailers that failed were issued a citation and face fines of up to $300.

“The results of this campaign show us where our education and outreach efforts are working and where we need to step up efforts to make sure retailers are complying with the law,” Goddard said.

Compliance was significantly lower than in 2006 when 432 inspections were conducted with 400 retailers passing and only 32 failing. Last year’s higher compliance rate may be partly explained by a larger number of checks in Tucson, which issues tobacco retailer licenses that are subject to revocation if sales are made to people under 18.

The Counter Strike campaign is part of the Attorney General’s Office compliance program, which includes checks of tobacco retailers throughout Arizona. Youth volunteers work undercover with its agents and local police officers to identify retailers making illegal tobacco sales. The youth volunteers attempt to purchase cigarettes and other tobacco products. Since 2002, more than 10,000 undercover inspections have been conducted throughout Arizona.

Arizona law prohibits the sale or furnishing of tobacco products to people under 18. Statistics show that about 80 percent of adult smokers begin before age 18. Every year in Arizona, over 6,000 young people under age 18 become smokers. Approximately 21 percent of Arizona high school students say they smoke, and more than 14 million packs of cigarettes are smoked or purchased each year by Arizona kids.

This year’s “Counter Strike” campaign began in Yavapai County and included ads running in local newspapers reminding retailers that selling tobacco to minors is illegal. Following the compliance checks, a follow-up ad ran in local papers reporting the names of retailers that

passed or failed the compliance checks. Other counties included in this campaign were Mohave, Pima, Yuma and Maricopa.

Goddard offers the following tips to increase compliance with the law:

Post signs informing customers that they will be required to show identification and denied access to tobacco if they are underage.

Discipline employees who make such sales.

Reward employees who refuse to sell tobacco to minors.

The chart below breaks down the inspections conducted and passing rates by county and city:

County

Date of Inspections

Total Inspections

Passed

Failed

Passing Rate

Yavapai County

April 28

60

47

13

78 %

-Prescott

39

27

12

69 %

-Prescott Valley

21

20

1

95 %

Mohave County

May 5th

60

51

9

85 %

-Lake Havasu

24

21

3

87 %

-Kingman

36

30

6

83 %

Pima County

May 12th

163

144

19

88 %

-Tucson

100

94

6

94 %

-Marana

24

18

6

75 %

-Oro Valley

23

21

2

91 %

-Sahuarita

16

11

5

68 %

Yuma County

May 19th

55

43

12

78 %

-Yuma

55

43

12

78 %

Maricopa County

May 26th

123

69

54

56 %

-Phoenix

52

40

12

76 %

-Tempe

43

16

27

37 %

-Mesa

28

13

15

46 %

To report illegal tobacco sales to minors or for more information on how to participate in the Counter Strike program, please call the Counter Strike Hotline toll-free at 1-866-342-7855. If you are calling from within the Phoenix area, dial 602-542-1809.